McDonnell — not running, but South Carolina-bound

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has made it clear he does not intend to run for president and has consistently batted away talk of being selected as the Republican presidential nominee’s vice president.

But that didn’t stop Rep. Tim Scott, South Carolina Republican, from inviting Mr. McDonnell to headline a “Presidential Town Hall” in Myrtle Beach on Saturday.

SEE RELATED:

“While Governor McDonnell is not currently a candidate for President, he will play a key role in the 2012 election and beyond,” Mr. Scott said. “He has a proven record of job creation and keeping taxes low in Virginia — a state the GOP must win in 2012. Our voters are eager to hear his views on the Presidential field, and on how we will defeat President Obama.”

Mr. McDonnell said in a statement that he was looking forward to the trip to the all-important state of South Carolina, which holds its primary on Jan. 21.

To be fair, Mr. Scott bills that his “First in the South” Town Hall series brings presidential candidates “and leading voices in the GOP” to South Carolina for conversations with voters. But the trip is likely to draw at the very least a raised eyebrow or two from the current crop of presidential contenders vying for the Republican nomination.